President Donald Trump declared during his State of the Union address that the gold medal–winning U.S. women’s hockey team “will soon be coming to the White House.” But according to a team spokesperson, that visit is not happening.
Earlier this week, the team declined an invitation to attend Trump’s address to Congress, citing scheduling conflicts. In a statement, the players said they were “sincerely grateful” for the invitation and appreciative of the recognition, but noted that prior academic and professional commitments following the Games made attendance impossible.
Trump had suggested ahead of the speech that failing to invite the team would lead to criticism, and during the address he told lawmakers that “the American women [players] will soon be coming to the White House.”
However, a spokesperson clarified Wednesday that no White House trip is currently planned. “Players are back competing with their professional and collegiate teams and are in the midst of their season,” the spokesperson said. “They’re honored and grateful to be invited, and any opportunity to visit the White House as a team will be based on their schedules once their seasons conclude.”
The statement effectively contradicts Trump’s assertion that a visit is imminent, making clear that any potential White House appearance would depend on the athletes’ individual availability after their competitive seasons wrap up.
